Bacchus Marsh put Melton to the sword in the second half of their Ballarat Football League clash.
For a quarter and half, it looked like the Bloods would take the game up to the Cobras.
But the Cobras found another level and kicked the last six goals of the second quarter to open up a decent lead.
The second half was all Cobras as they ran away with a 24.5 (149)-6.5 (41) win.
Cobras coach Travis Hodgson said Melton had come to play early on.
“It was a solid four-quarter performance which we haven’t had this year,” he said.
“It was a like a finals’ intensity, with Melton turning up to play.
“It was an arm-wrestle to about the 15-minute mark of the second quarter.
“Not an inch was given in the first 45 minutes. Then the cracks started to appear.
“We kicked the last six goals of the quarter.”
For Hodgson, the most pleasing aspect of the win was the way his team went about it.
Despite sitting on top of the ladder entering the match, the Cobras had won just 11 of 20 quarters.
Hodgson said when they were having down periods they gave away too many chances.
“We’ve had real lapses in games and even against Ballarat the week before, they kicked five goals against us in a quarter.
“It’s [this week] the first time we’ve won all four quarters.”
The Cobras’ new-look forward line continued to show it will be dangerous – Jake Owen, Ben Speight and Aaron Willitts kicked 14 goals between them.
The trio kicked 15 goals between them in the previous round.
Hodgson said they were happy with how the forward line was starting to gel.
“You much prefer that than one player kicking 10 goals,” he said.
“They’ve only played half a dozen games together and they work really well.
“Alec Del Papa kicked three goals, Ryley Stuhldreier, Declan Phyland and Billy Griffiths all seem to hit the scoreboard each week.”
Hodgson said Owen was best on ground as a link man between defence and the forward line and also kicking six goals.
Scott Sherlock was the best midfielder, Daniel Burton dominated the ruck against three opponents and Del Papa played his best game in a number of years.
Hodgson said the team’s plan now was to continue the same form into the next month of football, and then they have played every team once.
Mitchell Brockwell was the only multiple goalkicker for the Bloods with two goals.
Jordyn Cotter, Luke Heaney and Daniel Walker were named the best for the Bloods.
While the result didn’t go their way, it was a special day for the Bloods as they wore a red jumper in awareness of cystic fibrosis.
It’s a cause close to the club’s heart, as Rebecca Davis, sister of senior player Ryan and daughter of club president Greg Davis, suffers from the condition.
Darley returned to the winners’ list with a good win against Melton South. The Devils kicked away in the second half to win 19.21 (135)-10.9 (69). Shane Page was best for the Devils and Shaun White was the Panthers’ best.
